Valved fluid dispensing spout



May 22, 1956 H. WOLCOTT 2,746,655

VALVED FLUID DISPENSING SPOUT Filed June 1, 1954 i; L V w I7 0 H iE II 12 i "1 W T 22 IN V EN TOR. HAROLD WoL G0 77*.

United States Patent 2,746,655 VALVED FLUID DISPENSING SPOUT Harold Wolcott, Burlingame, Calif.

Application June 1, 1954, Serial No. 433,605

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-509) My present invention relates to fluid dispensing containers and more particularly to a spout and an automatic flow controlling valve for dispensing semi-viscous fluids from a portable container.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel spout for dispensing fluids from a portable container and directing same into inaccessible receptacles without any spilling or dripping of the fluid on surrounding parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spout for fluid dispensing containers such as are employed in garages and service stations for the replenishing of engine oil and/or a filling of the brake and the fluid coupling reservoirs of an automobile.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valved wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing;

Figure 1 is a vertical view, partially in section, showing my improved fluid dispensing spout as employed with a vented container of the type illustrated in my prior Patent No. 2,637,470, dated May 5, 1953, and entitled Vented Fluid Dispensing Container.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical view, taken in section, showing the details of my improved spout and valve.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the parts in an open and operative position, and

Figure 4 is'a sectional view taken along line IVIV of Figure 2, looking in direction of arrows.

In the servicing of automobiles as in replenishing the brake fluid reservoirs and the reservoirs associated with the fluid couplings of the present day automatic transmissions it is difiicult because of'an inaccessible location beneath the floor boards of the automobile for the attendant to introduce these fluids into the reservoirs in question and even when exposed by a rolling back of the carpet or a removal of the floor boards there is still the problem of directing the fluid into the relative small filling opening provided for this purpose. In most cases the attendants performing this operation find it necessary to employ a funnel in order to avoid any spilling of the fluid and/or a dripping thereof about the interior of the automobile. Likewise in replenishing the engine oil the operator is generally required to close the open end of the pouring spout of the oil container with his thumb, or as in some cases manually operate a valve associated therewith which generally requires two hands.

To overcome the above disadvantages, I have in accordance with my invention provided a pouring spout for a fluid dispensing container which can be first introduced into the filling opening of a receptacle and then operated to dispense the fluid therefrom in an entirely automatic manner without danger of spilling or a dripping of the fluid from the spout both before and after the filling operation is completed.

As shown in Figure l of the drawing, the spout constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use with a vented fluid dispensing container of the type disclosed in my aforesaid prior patent. Suflice it here to say that in my aforesaid patent there is provided a pouring outlet for a sealed container 10 which has a conical air entrappin'g chamber 11 with a laterally extending vent 12 and an axially extending vent 13 by which the container 10 is freely vented without any leakage of fluid from the container when discharging a fluid therefrom. In this figure of the drawing my improved spout is designated generally by the numeral 14.

By now referring to the remaining figures of the drawing it will be seen that my improved spout 14, comprises a tubular fluid conducting member 15 which is turned in at its extending end to form a discharge outlet 16 of reduced diameter. This turned-in-end of the tubular member 15 also provides a concav'ed spherical surfaced socket 17 at the end thereof and extending through the discharge outlet 16 there is atubular spout forming member 18 that carries a collar or shoulder forming member 19 having a convexed spherical surface which conforms with the socket 17 and permits a swiveling movement of the spout 18 with respect to the tubular fluid conducting member 15. The collar 19 carried by the extending spout '18 is shown as having a flat surface upon its inner side which forms a valve seat and it is held in cooperating fluid sealing relation with the conca'ved spherical surface of the socket 17 by an axially-movable valve member 20 that is biased into an engagement with the valve seatof the collar 19 by a helical spring 21. This prevents a flow of fluid from the fluid conducting member 15 when the spout 18 is in its normal position. The valve member 20 is preferably provided with a plurality of axially extending flutes 22 through which fluid may pass, as will hereinafter appear, when spout 18 is moved out of coaxial relationship with the fluid conducting member 15. In this arrangement the spring 21 is held in cooperating relation with valve member 20 by an inwardly extending beading 23 that is formed by 'an inward crimping of the fluid conducting member 15.

To illustrate the operation of my improved invention I have in Figure 3 of the drawing, shown the spout forming member 18, carried by the tub'ular fluid conducting member 15 as projecting into a filling aperture 24 formed at the top wall of a fluid reservoir 25. As here shown, when the spout 13 is thus projected into the filling aperture 24 and the fluid container is moved in an arc the pouring spout 18 will be moved out of axial alignment with the tubular fluid conducting member 15. This movement will cause the shoulder or ring 19 carried by the spout 18 to move within the socket 17 and thus by virtue of its engagement with the valve member 20 cause this latter member, to move axially within the fluid conducting member 15 and out of sealing engagement with the valve seat forming surface of the collar 19. When this movement of the spout 18 with respect to the fluid conducting member 15 occurs fluid will flow from the fluid conducting member 15 through the flutes 22 of the valve member 20 and to the spout 18 Where the fluid will be discharged into the reservoir 25. In this operation the helical spring 21 will be compressed and when the filling operation has been completed and the spout 18 is withdrawn from the reservoir 25 it will reassume its normal co-axial position with respect to the fluid conture 24 without a spilling and/or dripping of fluid, and this without any imediate flipping of the fluid dispensing container into its normal upright position. In this figure of the drawing the concaved socket portion 1'7 of the fluid conducting member is shown as having a transversely extending slot 26 that is of a width substantially corresponding to the outside diameter of the tubular spout 18 and it is of a length sufiicient to permit an angular displacement of the spout 18 to open the valve as described above.

The flutes 22 of the valve member are shown in Figure 4 as six in number and rectangular in cross-section, but it will be understood that these flutes may be more or less in number and of any other suitable configuration.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated a specific form and arrangement, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a valved fluid dispensing container spout of the character described, the combination of a tubular fluid conducting member having its end turned inwardly to form a concaved socket with a coaxially disposed opening therein, a spout forming member having a collar with a convex surface seated in said socket and forming a transversely disposed valve seat at the inner end of said spout forming member, a substantially cylindrical valve member slidably mounted in said tubular fluid conducting member and engaging said transversely disposed valve seat, said cylindrical valve member having at least one longitudinally extending flute in the side thereof, and spring means operating to bias said cylindrical valve member and the collar carried by said spout in sealing relation within each other and with the socket at the end of said tubular fluid conducting member.

2. In a fluid dispensing device of the character described, the combination of a tubular fluid conducting member adapted and arranged to be attached to a fluid dispensing container having its extending end turned inwardly to form an enclosed concaved socket with an opening at its center, an axially extending spout forming member having an annular collar of convexed cross-section seated in said socket for a swiveling movement, said annular collar forming a transversely disposed annular valve seat at the inner end of said spout forming member, a substantially cylindrical valve member slidably mounted within said tubular fluid conducting member having spaced flutes extending axially along its outer surface and engaging said annular collar in a fluid flow inhibiting 4 manner, and spring means operating to yieldingly bias said cylindrical valve member in fluid sealing engagement with said annular collar, whereby said cylindrical valve member may be moved inwardly against the biasing action of said spring means by movement of said spout forming member out of axial alignment with said tubular fluid conducting member.

3. A pouring spout for directing viscous fluids from a fluid dispensing container to inaccessible points, comprising a tubular fluid conducting member adapted at one end to be secured to and carried by a fluid dispensing container, said tubular member having its extending end rolled inwardly to provide a socket with a spout opening of reduced diameter at its center, a tubular spout for said fluid conducting member having a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the opening at the end of said tubular member, an annular collar upon said tubular spout having an outer surface adapted and arranged to movably seat in the socket formed at the end of said tubular fluid conducting member and form a valve seat, a valve member of cylindrical configuration engaging the valve seat of said annular collar, said cylindrical valve member having flutes extending axially along its outer surface through which fluid may flow, and a spiral spring engaging said valve member operating to bias said valve member in sealing relation with said annular collar and retaining said annular collar in sealing engagement within the socket at the extending end of said tubular fluid conducting member.

4. A pouring spout for directing viscous fluids from a fluid dispensing container to inaccessible points, comprising a tubular fluid conducting member adapted at one end to be secured to and carried by a fluid dispensing container, said tubular member having its extending end rolled inwardly to provide a spout opening of reduced diameter with the converging walls forming an annular spherically surfaced socket, a tubular spout extending 'coaxially through the opening at the end of said tubular member, an annular collar upon said tubular spout having an outer spherical surface adapted and arranged to seat in the annular socket formed at the end of said tubular fluid conducting member, a valve member of cylindrical configuration engaging said annular collar as a valve seat, said cylindrical valve member having flutes extending axially along its outer surface through which fluid may flow, and a spiral spring seated upon an inwardly extending beading formed by a crimping of said fluid conducting member engaging said valve member and operating to bias said valve member in sealing relation with said annular collar and retaining said annular collar in sealing engagement with the spherically surfaced socket at the end of said tubular fluid conducting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 656,759 Wirt Aug. 28, 1900 

